Braiding machine

ABSTRACT

A high-speed braiding machine comprises a central disc and a surrounding annulus which are both stationary with respect to a chosen frame of reference for all the motions. Lobes on the inner periphery of the annulus are intercalated with lobes on the periphery of the disc to define between them an endless continuous sinuous gap; and carriers for bobbins of an inner set are mounted to one side of the disc and annulus so as to be rotatable about a machine axis passing through the central area of the disc whilst threads from bobbins mounted thereon pass through the sinuous gap to a braiding point spaced from the disc on its opposite side. On the side of the disc and annulus facing the braiding point and partly carried by the lobes of each of them is a circular track, concentric with the machine axis, the path of which repeatedly crosses the sinuous gap, but the track is interrupted where it does so. Carriers for bobbins of an outer set mounted on the said track are each of sufficient length in the direction of the track to pass freely over the gaps therein. Concentric central and peripheral actuator heads on the same side of the disc and annulus as the track are mounted for rotation in unison in the opposite direction to the carriers for the bobbins of the inner set, the central actuator head having an external radius less than the minimum radius of the lobed disc and the peripheral actuator head correspondingly having an internal radius greater than the maximum internal radius of the lobes annulus. On each actuator head a series of actuator fingers, one finger for each carrier of the outer set, can be projected into the annular gap between the actuator heads to engage the associated carrier and can be withdrawn to clear the said sinuous gap to allow passage of thread from a bobbin of the inner set. When the machine is in operation each carrier of the outer set is always engaged by at least one actuating finger but the passage of threads from the inner set of bobbins is not obstructed.

United States Patent Hinds et al.

[451 Sept. 10,1974

[ BRAIDING MACHINE [75] Inventors: Ronald Hinds, Woolton, England;

James Martin Akister, deceased, late of Bury, Lancashire, England byNora Akister, legal representative [73] Assignee: B & F. Carter & Co.Limited,

London, England 221 Filed: Sept. 20, 1973 211 App]. No.: 398,972

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,672,071 3/1954 Marogg 87/46Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Buell, Blenko &Ziesenheim [57] ABSTRACT A high-speed braiding machine comprises acentral disc and a surrounding annulus which are both stationary withrespect to a chosen frame of reference for all the motions. Lobes on theinner periphery of the annulus are intercalated with lobes on theperiphery of the disc to define between them an endless continuoussinuous gap; and carriers for bobbins of an inner set are mounted to oneside of the disc and annulus so as to be rotatable about a machine axispassing through the central area of the disc whilst threads from bobbinsmounted thereon pass through the sinuous gap to a braiding point spacedfrom the disc on its opposite side. On the side of the disc and annulusfacing the braiding point and partly carried by the lobes of each ofthem is a circular track, concentric with the machine axis, the path ofwhich repeatedly crosses the sinuous gap, but the track is interruptedwhere it does so. Carriers for bobbins of an outer set mounted on thesaid track are each of sufficient length in the direction of the trackto pass freely over the gaps therein. Concentric central and peripheralactuator heads on the same side of the disc and annulus as the track aremounted for rotation in unison in the opposite direction to the carriersfor the bobbins of the inner set, the central actuator head having anexternal radius less than the minimum radius of the lobed disc and theperipheral actuator head correspondingly having an internal radiusgreater than the maximum internal radius of the lobes annulus. On eachactuator head a series of actuator fingers, one finger for each carrierof the outer set, can be projected into the annular gap between theactuator heads to engage the associated carrier and can be withdrawn toclear the said sinuous gap to allow passage of thread from a bobbin ofthe inner set. When the machine is in operation each carrier of theouter set is always engaged by at least one actuating finger but thepassage of threads from the inner set of bobbins is not obstructed.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTED SEPI 01914 sum 3 BF 4 I vHaj.-

BRAIDING MACHINE outer set) rotates in one or possibly more than onecircular path which defines the axis of the machine and bobbins ofanother set (hereinafter called the inner set) are either stationary ormore usually rotate in the opposite direction in one or possibly morethan one circular path about the same axis, the threads from the innerset of reels being deflected to pass inside some and outside others ofthe bobbins of the outer set. (The term thread is used herein toinclude, where the context admits, wires whether of round or othercrosssection). Since only relative motions are important, it will beassumed in the following description that the bobbins of the inner andouter sets rotate in opposite directions at the same angular velocity;it will be understood that this assumption is merely defining a frame ofreference for the rotational movements and is not to be construed aslimiting the actual absolute rotational movements.

In accordance with the invention, a high-speed braiding machinecomprises an inner lobed disc and a surrounding lobed annulus which areboth stationary with respect to the frame of reference. The lobes on theannulus are on its inner periphery and are intercalated with the lobesof the disc in such a way that the disc and the annulus define betweenthem an endless continuous sinuous gap, preferably of uniform width. Itwill be appreciated that the disc will have a central aperture which maybe sufficiently large to justify reference to it as an annulus. However,for convenience it will be referred to as a disc. Carriers for thebobbins of the inner set are mounted to one side of the disc and annulusfor rotation about a machine axis passing through the central area ofthe disc and threads from these bobbins pass through the sinuous gap toa braiding point spaced from the disc on its opposite side and usuallyon the machine axis. Normally means will be provided for positivelyguiding the threads through the sinuous gap as the bobbins revolve, butthere may be exceptional cases where such guide means could be dispensedwith and the thread guided solely by contact with the boundary of thegap. On the side of the disc and annulus facing the braiding point andpartly carried by the lobes of each of them is a circular track,concentric with the machine axis, the path of which repeatedly crossesthe sinuous gap but is interrupted where it does so, whereby therotation of threads as they pass through the gaps is not obstructed bybobbin carriers mounted on this track. These are carriers for thebobbins of the outer set, and they are of sufficient length in thedirection of the track to pass freely over the gaps therein. On the sameside of the lobed disc and annulus as the track for the carriers for thebobbins of the outer set and mounted for rotation in unison in theopposite direction to the carriers for the bobbins of the inner set areconcentric central and peripheral actuator heads. The central actuatorhead has an external radius less than the minimum radius of the lobeddisc and the peripheral actuator head correspondingly has an internalradius greater than the maximum internal radius of the lobed annulus sothat the actuator heads offer no obstruction to the threads passingthrough the gap between the disc and the annulus. Each actuator headcarries a series of actuator fingers, one for each carrier of the outerset, which fingers can be projected into the annular gap between the twoheads to engage the associated carrier and can be withdrawn to clear thesinuous gap between the lobed disc and the lobed annulus to allowpassage of a thread from a bobbin of the inner set, and means areprovided for projecting and withdrawing the fingers when the machine isin operation in such a way that each carrier of the outer set is alwaysengaged by at least one actuating finger but the passage of threads fromthe inner set of bobbins is not obstructed.

The preferred arrangement is such that each actuating finger of theinner actuating head is engaged when its bobbin carrier is on a part ofthe track supported by the lobed disc and the corresponding finger ofthe outer actuating head is engaged and the firstmentioned finger thendisengaged as the carrier is passing over an interruption in the trackto a part supported by the lobed annulus, this procedure being repeatedin reverse at the next crossing, and so on.

The required movement of the fingers can be produced by followerscoupled to or mounted on the fingers and engaging cam tracks on or fixedwith respect to the lobed disc and the lobed annulus. In a preferredarrangement, each finger comprises a curved lever, pivotted on therespective actuator head and preferably carrying a camfollower at apoint between the pivot and the end of the lever that engages thecarrier. However, other ways of operating the fingers, for exampleelectromagnetic operation controlled by switches, magnetic proximitydetectors, photodetectors or the like responsive to the rotation of themachine, may be used if preferred, and the fingers may be straight andslideable instead of curved and pivotted.

Guides for the threads from the bobbins of the inner set can also bemoved by a follower engaging a further cam track. In a preferredarrangement, such a cam track is provided to the side of the innercarriers remote from the braiding point and each follower is mounted onthe end of a hollow lever pivotted on the corresponding carrier. Theother end of the lever projects through the sinuous gap and the threadis guided through it, entering the tubular lever along its pivot axis.With this arrangement the cam track will of course resemble the inverseof the sinuous gap.

It will be appreciated that when a tubular guide, passing through thesinuous gap between the lobes of the disc and of the annulus, isprovided and the radial reciprocation of the guide is controlled then itis not necessary for the boundaries of the gap to be smoothly curved. Inother words the lobes need not be protrusions with curved boundaries andthe word lobe as used in this specification should be so interpreted.

The required rotary motions are preferably derived through appropriategearing from a common main drive shaft for the machine.

Normally the axis of the machine will be hollow, to allow passage of acable core, hose or other body to be covered by the braid formed.

The braiding machine in accordance with the invention is especiallyuseful in connection with the braiding of relatively heavy metal wires;it has the advantage over known high-speed braiding machines that thedeflection of the threads from the inner set of bobbins, which isessentially defined by the sinuous gap, may be made of any shape thatmay be required, and in particular may be made as smooth as is required.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, withreference to the accompanying drawings of a preferred design of braidingmachine which is illustrated with its axis vertical, though it isequally suitable for operation with its axis horizontal. In thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of one half of the machine (the otherhalf being identical so far as features illustrated in this figure areconcerned) with a diagrammatic section appended to it as an aid tovisual identification of the various members;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sections on the lines IIII and III-III in FIG.1, but showing the rotatable parts in different relative positions;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, partly sectioned on IVIV in FIG. 3;and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary underneath plan view on VV in FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the principal nonrotating parts of themachine are the disc 1 bearing outwardlyprojecting lobes 2, 3, 4 (six inall) and the annulus 5 bearing complementary inwardly-projecting lobes6, 7,

8, 9 (also six in all). The lobes cooperate to define a sinuous gap 10along which a guide 11 for the thread from each bobbin of the inner setis constrained to pass. Usually there will be at least one bobbin in theinner set for each lobe of either the disc or the annulus, but forsimplicity only one is shown.

Each lobe supports a section of a circular track 12 for the bobbincarriers of the outer set, which track is interrupted where it crossesthe sinuous gap 10.

FIG. 1 also shows a central and peripheral actuator cam tracks 13, 14respectively and a thread-guide cam track 15, the functions of whichwill be described shortly.

On turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, it is useful to note at the outset that thedisc 1 is formed integrally with a first support 16 and annulus 5 isformed integrally with a second support 17 which is bolted to a thirdsupport 18, all four of these supports being rigidly connected with thestationary central column 19 of the machine.

The carriers 20 for the bobbins 21 of the inner set are mounted aroundthe periphery of a ring 22 mounted concentrically with the machine axis23 (FIG. 2) in bearings 24 on the fixed support 16. This ring isrotated, in an anticlockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1, by anintemally-toothed gear 25 meshing with a first spur gear 26 on the maindrive shaft 27 (see also FIG. 5).

Each of the bobbin carriers 20 includes a support 28 on which the guide11, which is of tubular form, is mounted for pivotal movement in theplane of FIG. 2 or FIG. 3. The thread 29 passes from the bobbin via aconventional tensioning mechanism including pulleys 30, 31 and thenenters the guide 11 through a bellmouth 32 on the pivotting axis. Fromthe upper end of the guide 1 1 the thread passes to a braiding pointwhich is on the axis 23 and some distance above the top of the drawing.The machine preferably includes a boom, a

fragment of which appears at 33 in FIG. 2, supporting conventionalguides for controlling the conveyance of the threads towards thebraiding point.

The lower end of the tubular thread guide 11 carries a thread guide camfollower 34, the working surface of which is spherical and bears on theside faces 35, 36 of the thread-guide cam track 15 (see also FIG. 1)which is shaped in a manner inverse to the sinuous gap 10 to cause thetubular thread guide 1 1 to follow the sinuous gap as the inner set ofbobbins rotate. another spur gear 47 on the main drive shaft 27 (seealso FIG. 5); whereas the outer actuator head is mounted on a rotor 48that encloses a major part of the mechanism but is apertured to permitloading of bobbins 21. This rotor 48 is mounted in bearings 49 on thefixed support 18 and has mounted on it an internally toothed spur gear50 which drives it from the main shaft 27 via a spur gear 51 thereon andan idler 52 (seen only in FIG. 5) which serves to obtain the correctdirection of rotation.

For transmitting motion from the actuator heads 43, 44 to each of thebobbin carriers 38 a respective pair of actuator levers 53, 54 isprovided (FIGS. 2 and 4). These are mounted on pivot pins 55, 56 mountedin fixed positions on the central and peripheral actuator heads 43 and44 respectively. Secured to each actuator lever at a point spaced fromits pivot is a cam follower 57, 58 and these engage the cam tracks 13and 14 respectively to engage the hooked ends 59, 60 of the actuatorlevers with cooperating recesses 61, 62 in the bobbin carrier 37 or todisengage one of them therefrom as the operation requires.

The operation of the actuator levers will now be described withreference to FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, commencing the descriptionas a bobbin carrier of the outer set, travelling in a clockwisedirection on the track 12, enters FIG. 1. At this position the centralactuator lever 53 is disengaged and the peripheral actuator lever 54 isfully engaged (as shown in chain dotted lines in FIG. 4), and thiscondition is maintained until the cam follower 57 reaches the deflection63 in its track which causes lever 57 to pivot and engage its end 59 inthe recess 61. When this engaging motion is nearly complete, the camfollower 58 reaches the deflection 64 in its track 14 and the peripheralactuator lever 54 is thereby withdrawn, the mechanism now being in theposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, and the segment 65 of the gap10 is free for passage of a thread guide 11 in the opposite direction.In due course the follower 58 reaches the deflection 66 and reengagesthe peripheral actuator lever 54 and, as that movement approachescompletion, the follower 57 reaches the deflection 67 and disengages thecentral actuator lever 53 to leave the segment 68 of the gap 10 clearfor passage of another thread guide 11. This sequence is repeated fivetimes as the rotation continues from this position to complete arevolution. The engagement of one actuator lever always precedes thedisengagement of the other, so that the bobbin carriers are constantlyand positively driven: sometimes from the central actuator head,sometimes from the peripheral actuator head, and sometimes from bothactuator heads simultaneously.

What is claimed is:

1. A high-speed braiding machine comprising: a central disc and asurrounding annulus which are both stationary with respect to a frame ofreference; lobes on the inner periphery of the annulus and lobes on theperiphery of the disc, said lobes being intercalated to define betweenthem an endless continuous sinuous gap; carriers for bobbins of an innerset mounted to one side of the disc and annulus and rotatable in a firstdirection with respect to said frame of reference about a machine axispassing through the central area of the disc whilst threads from bobbinsmounted thereon may pass through said sinuous gap to a braiding point.spaced from said disc on its opposite side; on the side of said disc andannulus facing the braiding point and partly carried by the lobes ofeach of them a circular track, concentric with said machine axis, thepath of which track repeatedly crosses said sinuous gap but said trackhaving interruptions where it does so; carriers for bobbins of an outerset mounted on said track and each of sufficient length in the directionof the track to pass freely over said interruptions therein; concentriccentral and peripheral actuator heads on the same side of the disc andannulus as said track and mounted for rotation in unison with respect tosaid frame of reference in the direction opposite to said firstdirection, said central actuator head having an external radius lessthan the minimum radius of said lobed disc and said peripheral actuatorhead having an internal radius greater than the maximum internal radiusof said lobed annulus; on each actuator head a series of actuatorfingers, one said finger for each said carrier of said outer set, eachof which said fingers can be projected into the annular gap between theactuator heads to engage its associated carrier and can be withdrawn toclear said sinuous gap to allow passage of thread from a bobbin of saidinner set; and means for projecting and withdrawing said fingers whenthe machine is in operation to engage each said carrier of the outer setalways by at least one actuating finger but to allow passage of threadsfrom the inner set of bobbins through said sinuous gap to said braidingpoint.

2. A high speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 including alsomeans for guiding said threads through said sinuous gap.

3. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 including also acam-track stationary with respect to said frame of reference, followersengaging said camtrack and guides moved by respective ones of saidfollowers to guide said threads through said sinuous gap.

4. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which saidmeans for projecting and withdrawing fingers is operative to engage eachcarrier with a finger mounted on said inner actuator head whenever saidcarrier is on a part of said track supported by a lobe of said disc andto engage each carrier with a finger mounted on said inner actuator headwhenever said carrier is on a part of said track supported by a lobe ofsaid annulus.

5. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 4 including alsomeans for guiding said threads through said sinuous gap.

6. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 4 including also acam-track stationary with respect to said frame of reference, followersengaging said camtrack and guides moved by respective ones of saidfollowers to guide said threads through said sinuous gap.

7. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which saidmeans for projecting and withdrawing fingers comprises cam-tracks thatare stationary with respect to said frame of reference and operativelyrelated to each said finger a cam follower engaging one of said camtracks.

8. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which each said actuatorfinger consists of a curved lever having first and second ends, pivottedat its first end on the respective said actuator head and engaging itssaid associated carrier at its second end, and in which said means forprojecting and withdrawing said fingers comprises cam tracks that arestationary with respect to said frame of reference and cam followerseach mounted on a respective one of said curved levers intennediate itssaid first and second ends and engaging one of said cam tracks.

9. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 8 in which said cam followerscomprise a first set mounted one on each of said curved levers that ispivotted on said central actuator head and a second set mounted one oneach of said curved levers that is pivotted on said peripheral actuatorhead, and in which each cam follower of said first set engages a firstsaid cam track and each cam follower of said second set engages a secondsaid cam track.

10. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the said means forprojecting and withdrawing fingers is electromagnetic means controlledby means responsive to rotation of the machine.

1. A high-speed braiding machine comprising: a central disc and asurrounding annulus which are both stationary with respect to a frame ofreference; lobes on the inner periphery of the annulus and lobes on theperiphery of the disc, said lobes being intercalated to define betweenthem an endless continuous sinuous gap; carriers for bobbins of an innerset mounted to one side of the disc and annulus and rotatable in a firstdirection with respect to said frame of reference about a machine axispassing through the central area of the disc whilst threads from bobbinsmounted thereon may pass through said sinuous gap to a braiding pointspaced from said disc on its opposite side; on the side of said disc andannulus facing the braiding point and partly carried by the lobes ofeach of them a circular track, concentric with said machine axis, thepath of which track repeatedly crosses said sinuous gap but said trackhaving interruptions where it does so; carriers for bobbins of an outerset mounted on said track and each of sufficient length in the directionof the track to pass freely over said interruptions therein; concentriccentral and peripheral actuator heads on the same side of the disc andannulus as said track and mounted for rotation in unison with respect tosaid frame of reference in the direction opposite to said firstdirection, said central actuator head having an external radius lessthan the minimum radius of said lobed disc and said peripheral actuatorhead having an internal radius greater than the maximum internal radiusof said lobed annulus; on each actuator head a series of actuatorfingers, one said finger for each said carrier of said outer set, eachof which said fingers can be projected into the annular gap between theactuator heads to engage its associated carrier and can be withdrawn toclear said sinuous gap to allow passage of thread from a bobbin of saidinner set; and means for projecting and withdrawing said fingers whenthe machine is in operation to engage each said carrier of the outer setalways by at least one actuating finger but to allow passage of threadsfrom the inner set of bobbins through said sinuous gap to said braidingpoint.
 2. A high speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 includingalso means for guiding said threads through said sinuous gap.
 3. Ahigh-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 including also acam-track stationary with respect to said frame of reference, followersengaging said cam-track and guides moved by respective ones of saidfollowers to guide said threads through said sinuous gap.
 4. Ahigh-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said meansfor projecting and withdrawing fingers is operative to engage eachcarrier with a finger mounted on said inner actuator head whenever saidcarrier is on a part of said track supported by a lobe of said disc andto engage each carrier with a finger mounted on said inner actuator headwhenever said carrier is on a part of said track supported by a lobe ofsaid annulus.
 5. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 4including also means for guiding said threads through said sinuous gap.6. A high-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 4 including also acam-track stationary with respect to said frame of reference, followersengaging said cam-track and guides moved by respective ones of saidfollowers to guide said threads through said sinuous gap.
 7. Ahigh-speed braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 in which said meansfor projecting and withdrawing fingers comprises cam-tracks that arestationary with respect to said frame of reference and operativelyrelated to each said finger a cam follower engaging one of said camtracks.
 8. A braidiNg machine as claimed in claim 1 in which each saidactuator finger consists of a curved lever having first and second ends,pivotted at its first end on the respective said actuator head andengaging its said associated carrier at its second end, and in whichsaid means for projecting and withdrawing said fingers comprises camtracks that are stationary with respect to said frame of reference andcam followers each mounted on a respective one of said curved leversintermediate its said first and second ends and engaging one of said camtracks.
 9. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 8 in which said camfollowers comprise a first set mounted one on each of said curved leversthat is pivotted on said central actuator head and a second set mountedone on each of said curved levers that is pivotted on said peripheralactuator head, and in which each cam follower of said first set engagesa first said cam track and each cam follower of said second set engagesa second said cam track.
 10. A braiding machine as claimed in claim 1 inwhich the said means for projecting and withdrawing fingers iselectromagnetic means controlled by means responsive to rotation of themachine.